Clayton Kershaw vs Stephen Strasburg: Career Stats Comparison
Clayton Kershaw has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 11 statistical categories compared on this page. Clayton Kershaw has played 2008–present as a pitcher; Stephen Strasburg played 2010–2022 as a pitcher.
- ERA (Earned Run Average):
- Earned runs allowed per nine innings pitched: (ER × 9) ÷ IP. The primary measure of pitching effectiveness.
- W (Wins):
- Games credited to a pitcher whose team took a lead it never surrendered while he was the pitcher of record.
- SO (Strikeouts):
- For a batter, times retired on a third strike; for a pitcher, batters retired on a third strike.
- WHIP (Walks and Hits per Inning Pitched):
- Baserunners allowed per inning: (BB + H) ÷ IP. Under 1.00 is elite.
Data updated
Clayton Kershaw (2008–present) and Stephen Strasburg (2010–2022) — breaking in during the 2000s and the 2010s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Clayton Kershaw compiled 223 wins and 3,052 strikeouts; Stephen Strasburg put up 113 wins and 1,723 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Clayton Kershaw, with 2.53 to Stephen Strasburg's 3.24.
- Who won more games? Clayton Kershaw, with 223 to Stephen Strasburg's 113.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Clayton Kershaw, with 3,052 to Stephen Strasburg's 1,723.
- Who had the better WHIP? Clayton Kershaw, with 1.02 to Stephen Strasburg's 1.10.
- Who pitched more innings? Clayton Kershaw, with 2,855 to Stephen Strasburg's 1,470.
- Who threw more shutouts? Clayton Kershaw, with 15 to Stephen Strasburg's 2.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Clayton Kershaw, with 93,455 career Pitcher PIV to Stephen Strasburg's 41,364.
Clayton Kershaw
Stephen Strasburg
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate. Cells highlighted in green mark the player who leads that line. Lower ERA, WHIP and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads. Totals where fewer is not an achievement -- losses, walks and hits allowed -- are left unmarked, because they track how long someone pitched rather than how well. Rate stats are not era-adjusted: compare them with the era in mind, or use the PIV card below, which is.
| Statistic | Clayton Kershaw | Stephen Strasburg |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 223 | 113 |
| Losses | 96 | 62 |
| Games | Leads: 455 | 247 |
| Games Started | Leads: 451 | 247 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 25 | 2 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 15 | 2 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,052 | 1,723 |
| Walks | 713 | 394 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,193 | 1,217 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 235 | 149 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,855 | 1,470 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.53 | 3.24 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.02 | 1.10 |
| K/9 | 9.62 | Leads: 10.55 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.25 | 2.41 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Clayton Kershaw outpaces Stephen Strasburg 93,455 to 41,364 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (5,192 vs 3,182 per year). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by ERA among qualified workloads (120+ innings).
Clayton Kershaw — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Stephen Strasburg — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Clayton Kershaw leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Stephen Strasburg owns K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Clayton Kershaw. PIV agrees: Clayton Kershaw grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Clayton Kershaw vs Stephen Strasburg: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Clayton Kershaw or Stephen Strasburg?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Clayton Kershaw leads Stephen Strasburg in 10 of 11 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 2.53 to Stephen Strasburg's 3.24.
- Who won more games?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 223 to Stephen Strasburg's 113.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 3,052 to Stephen Strasburg's 1,723.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 1.02 to Stephen Strasburg's 1.10.